A Sandwich a Day: B.A.L.T. at The Green Door Tavern

Stepping into The Green Door Tavern feels a bit lime a time warp. The walls are completely covered in wooden beer signs and photos of baseball players from over 50 years ago. It seems like one of the oldest things around in River North, and it just has simple charm. Their B.A.L.T. ($8.25) shows that the food is part of that.

The bread is the light kind of wheat that isn't dense but still gives a good crunch when grilled. There's a good balance of ingredients all around, but the one that made me the happiest was that they didn't skimp on the avocado. Not only that, but they didn't just slap it on top in slices that fall out the second you bite into it. It's lightly smashed in there with the bacon, lettuce, and tomato. The bacon is crispy enough but not crumbly, as it should be when it needs to hold a sandwich together as the meaty backbone.

The twist of the avocado makes for a wonderful mayo substitute. I truly love mayo but I think this sandwich made me now prefer this on my B.L.T.s. And if I didn't already love the sandwich and experience of eating here, you get two chocolate chip cookies with your check. That alone would have won me over.